Chapter 36: Chapter 36: ‘Nibble’
Chapter 36: 'Nibble'
~Mash B. POV~
Status.
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Name: Mash Bastion
Class: The Gamer
Race: Human
Title: Spirit User
Level: 14 Exp: 0/20%
HP: 620/620
MP: 615/615
STR: 20 (+15)
AGI: 20 (+15)
VIT: 18
INT: 20
SEN: 25 (+15)
LUCK: 53
Stat Points: 10-> 20
Cash: 500
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Good to make a note of that tidbit. And I'm still sane that's a good sign having a look over my body. But now comes this issue of using the Witch Factor of Sloth.
[Authorities] are various abilities used by the Witches, Sin Archbishops, and other rare individuals. [Authorities] come from an entity known as a Witch Factor. Witch Factors are the antithesis of Od Lagna, and the [Authorities] granted by them can be considered the backward compatibility of Divine Protections, according to Beatrice.
According to the author, no Divine Protection can overpower an [Authority], and a Witch Factor can remove the effect of a person's preexisting Divine Protection. According to Beatrice, Authorities grant oneself the right to interfere with the world.
Authorities themselves are derived from Witch Factors; those who possess them can share a portion of their Witch Factors with other individuals, and those who receive a piece become known as Apostles.
This ability to share Witch Factors was formerly utilized by Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti, who shared portions of his Factor—appearing as strange clumps of mana—to his "fingers".
However, this came at the cost of his own Authority's effectiveness, as it decreased the amount of [Unseen Hands] he could summon until more portions of his shared Witch Factor returned to him.
The Witch Factors used by the Sin Archbishops originally belonged to the Witches of Sin and the Witches before them, there is no real difference between the two as they're all just "good-for-nothings compatible with the Witch Factors" that are called different names due to being from different eras and their different positions.
Furthermore, each Authority is shaped into existence based on a compatible holder's nature or desires, though the hosts have no control over what kind of ability they receive despite reflecting an owner's cravings.
If a Witch Factor is forcibly inserted into someone incompatible with it, it will greatly alter their personality, as is what happened in the cases of Satella and Petelgeuse.
It's shown that there are different ways to receive the Witch Factors. Petelgeuse received his from a small black box which was said to have been made out of an unknown Sage's bones, entrusted to him by Flugel.
But mine is exactly the one Petelgeuse had… or at least what I thought till I saw the skill list showing me a completely different ability I had in mind.
Feeling a new sense of power dwell within me I felt a slight change… it's only a little but I noticed.
And so did my skill <Indomitable Spirit> reacting to the Witch Factor in my body.
[Ding!]
[Witch Factor Sloth is attempting to alter the user mind…]
[Skill [Indomitable Spirit] resist Witch Factor influence!]
[<Indomitable Spirit> LEVEL UP!]
[Witch Factor Sloth is attempting to alter the user mind…]
[Skill [Indomitable Spirit] resist Witch Factor influence!]
[<Indomitable Spirit> LEVEL UP!]
Seeing this I guess this wasn't going to be as easy as I thought. Still, though I should check out my new skills.
The [Unseen Hand] I know of. But the extra perks I don't recognize.
Skill List.
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<Unseen Hand> (Active) Lv.-
Description: Utilizing The Authority of Sloth the user can use this skill. The [Unseen Hands] are a technique that allows the user to summon numerous invisible hand-like appendages from the user's body that he can move and extend telekinetically. Unlike the previous user, this version allows the user of this [Unseen Hands] to phase through matter as though it wasn't there. At maximum potential, the [Unseen Hands] and the force behind each one were akin to a cannonball. The current Number of Hands that can be summoned: 10.
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Neat. Seeing this I tried to summon my [Unseen Hands] wanting to test this skill out…
*Wooosh*
Soon enough 10 hands popped off from my body seeing the shadowy-like appendages figures. Wow… this is trippy.
But cool at the same time. Although this is just 10 hands each having the power of cannonballs is still strong and able to phase through matter. I can see why this is OP to others.
*Whoomp*
Returning them to my body still felt weird but I had a mission to do. I felt Julius nearby with my [Instinct] taking a step back before looking towards the forest giving a command, "Do it."
*WOOOSH*
*SHIII*
Julius then jumped out of the forest showed to have his sword covered in a deep crimson rainbow color uttering words of his spell witnessing a beauty, "[Al Clarista]!"
*SHINNG*
*BOOOM*
With those words uttered the spirits that he had contracted showed themselves before infusing into his blade, and created a huge white limit emitted from it. Raising his sword up before quickly bringing it down on top of Betelguese's body caused a miniature explosion upon impact.
That strike created a huge plume of dust that shot up and caused the ruins near us to collapse from the tremors it caused the ground to produce. Watching it collapse I couldn't help but click my tongue.
I have some serious catching up to meet up with the powerhouses in Re: Zero. But that's a story for another time.
My gaze towards the crater that the [Spirit Knight] caused was ashes of what remained of Petelgeuse's body. Walking towards it I simply kicked it seeing nothing as I sighed in relief not seeing that cursed item.
Seems like his Gospel is gone from Julius strike. Good riddance I say.
Julius soon comes along with a frown on his face gazing at the ashes asking for my confirmation of his death, "Are you sure he's dead? I mean he was a Sin Archbishop after all. This seemed almost too easy to be true."
I curtly nodded kicking his remains to show my point patting his shoulder to reassure him with a grin, "Relax, the Gospel with the bastard is gone. No way his coming back from this I made sure of that. We were just extremely fortunate my plan went without a hitch. We won they lost."
Julius seemed to have bought my words walking next to me agreeing with a light grin, "I suppose so… at least Sloth is no more."
On that, we can agree brother.
/////
Returning to the village with Julius, I saw Felix with a stern expression as a man spoke to him. I guess he got news of Crusch State knowing that Sanctuary or Arc 4 is going to happen soon.
Then I think it was a 1-year time gap before Arc 5 kicked in. I have time to train and grind to visit for that mess of an event.
I put a hand over my chest still feeling some complication with the Sloth Witch Factor. I could very much go insane even with my skill that prevents mental debuffs.
However, we managed to meet up with Felix explaining the situation in a serious tone, "Is sloth dead? If so, we have a problem. Lady Crusch and her group have gone missing."
Curtly nodding at this I understood the situation. This is going to be a pretty messing mind fuckery that's for sure.
I responded preparing to leave giving Julius the news to spread to the people in a serious tone, "In that case 'Juli' could you spread the word Sloth is gone? Will give people time to rest before continuing our search for Lady Crusch I fear something bad might've befallen them."
He nodded as I took a ride with Ferris understanding at this time Crusch got ambushed by the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony and Greed. She's fucked.
But considering that Ferris still remembers her then the situation isn't as bad as I first thought. At least, she got 'nibbled' on losing her memories.
Sigh… time to face the music.
/////
As it was now dark, we had to light some lanterns and put them on the saddles of the mounts. This made the road bright enough for everyone to see and the sky was clear enough.
We all went down to the main roads as that was where Crusch group the 'Valkyries' last went towards after our fight with the White Whale was seen to depart. I had a very bad feeling in my gut of what were about to find…
Keeping our eyes peeled for anything, everyone finally caught sight of a carriage that had been split in half sitting at the side of the main road yelling for those to come near me, "HEY EVERYONE I FOUND HALF THE CARRIAGE!! LANTERNS HERE!!"
The people who were carrying lanterns made their way quickly over to my side before lifting up their lanterns with shock in their eyes. On the ground were many sword cuts ranging from small to large.
And in the center of the storm of cuts was an unconscious Crusch who was missing an arm causing Felix to panic seeing her body immediately going to her side, "Lady Crusch!"
Felix was busy trying to heal Crusch's severed arm giving everyone the command to get out of their shocked state, "Everyone look for any other survivors!"
Hearing my command, they did as they were told. Wilhelm gazed at Crusch giving off a complicated expression as I asked a nearby soldier of the news, "Have we found everyone yet?"
But my expression changed into worry as the soldier looked confused by my question doing his best to respond, "Yes, we have… we found them, but I don't remember most of them being with Lady Crusch when she left."
Moving my head towards the unconscious and conscious people I couldn't help but curse that Wilhelm managed to listen, "Fuuuuuck… this is the work of the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony only he has the capabilities to eat people's memories to unconsciousness. But then who cut the carriage in half…"
Wilhelm seemed to understand what I was saying analyzing the carriage and tightening his grip with Felix gritting his teeth and hearing my words till one of the soldiers that was conscious managed to catch a glimpse of the other man with him.
I only paled sweating bullets as Wilhelm asked in a serious tone questioning me, "Sir Bastion… from your expression you seem to know the other person?"
Taking the time to inhale and exhale I replied what I knew and warned Wilhelm about this nasty bastard, "Yeah… judging from what the soldier said Crusch got extremely unlucky. Two Sin Archbishop's Gluttony and Greed judging by their descriptions. I'll say Crusch is VERY lucky to live through this."
Wilhelm understood my words as I used my [Observe] skill to see how Crusch was doing throughout all of this. But when I did so apparently my skill [Observe] leveled up with a bonus effect.
[<Observe> LEVEL UP!]
[Ding!]
[The skill [Observe] can now provide a small description of the target after reaching a sufficient level!]
[Crusch Karsten Lv.1? Duchess
Description: Crusch Karsten is the Matriarch of House Karsten and a candidate to become the 42nd King of Lugunica. While initially the absolute favorite to win the Royal Selection, she fell from grace after losing her memories to Lye Batenkaitos reducing her level, strength, and mentality to that of a 6-year old child.]
My face paled reading the description. No… this never happened in the original canon of events – right…
All of this happened because of Rem. Rem had her memories eaten away and if Rem wasn't here with Crusch… Lye had the chance to eat more than a 'nibble' of her memories… fuck.
While this situation is bad gazing at Crusch holding her hand and checking for a pulse as Felix searches for her missing arm an idea struck me. While this situation is seemingly hopeless and while I don't intervene meaning Crusch is out of the running…
It would leave a bitter taste in my mouth if I abandoned the person who helped me this far in this world. And frankly or luckily, I have just the item that could probably restore or heal her memories tightened around my finger.
The Gamer Ring.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone